Alan Kilpatrick
.JPG "Flame Tree, 2009. Photography by Michael Walchover")
Flame trees are a common sight in India, lining the roads of the cities and the countryside. This painting was inspired by one such tree in Hampi, part of the Vijayanagar Kingdom, a world heritage site in southern India which I visited during a three month artist residency in Bangalore. A chance meeting there led to a conversation spanning both politics and religion.
The use of henna in the work symbolises the marriage ceremony, when the art of mehendi (henna) is employed in decorating the feet and hands of the bride. The use of turmeric is also significant as it is widely used in rituals and medicine. A year old child has turmeric applied to the scalp after having its head shaved as part of the naming ceremony and many women apply turmeric as a cleanser to their faces. In medicine it is used for its antiseptic qualities and as an anti-oxidant for cancer prevention. Artists use it as a pigment and the textile industry as a dye. The thin glaze of turmeric covering the orange ground in the painting references the colour of the Indian political party the BJP.
Alan Kilpatrick (born in Assam) studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London and this year he was resident artist at Rabindra Bharati University and guest lecturer at Assam University in India. He has exhibited in the UK, France, USA and India and his work features in many private and public collections.
www.alankilpatrick.com